A to Z of services
Apply for a home: Outline
Social housing vacancies across County Durham are let through Durham Key Options, a choice based lettings scheme.
Durham Key Options is a partnership of the social housing providers in County Durham , including Dale & Valley Homes, and some housing associations. This means that people applying for social housing across the county only have to complete one application form and be assessed in accordance with one, common lettings policy.
You can apply by:
- completing the application form online via the Durham Key Options website; or by
- completing an application from available from Dale & Valley Homes.
Durham Key Options enables customers to express an interest in available properties rather than being selected from a waiting list.
Landlords will advertise their properties and customers then choose which homes they are interested in bidding for.
A bid is the term used to mean that you want to apply for a particular property. This can all be done via the Durham Key Options website. The property will generally be offered to the customer with the greatest housing need, who expressed an interest in the property and meets the criteria.
